HAVANA/BONN,
3 April 2001
-- Governments should recognize that citizens' active participation
in society through voluntary effort is a "crucial aspect of good
governance", said Sharon Capeling-Alakija, Executive Coordinator
of the Bonn-based United Nations Volunteers (UNV).

Addressing lawmakers
from 140 countries attending an Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) conference
Monday in Havana, Cuba, Ms. Capeling-Alakija said governments can recognize
the role of volunteerism in creating and enhancing economic and social
capital. "They can take full measure of its role as a positive
force for social development," she said.

Drawing attention
to efforts of policy-makers during and beyond the International Year
of Volunteers 2001 (IYV2001), she outlined five key challenges that
face governments as they seek to foster and strengthen volunteer action
and build social capital:

Frame volunteerism
as something to be taken into account in national development strategies.
People, communities and nations benefit when volunteering is seen as
a resource acquisition strategy.

Reach out to vulnerable
populations. Volunteerism can help the socially excluded to join the
mainstream of society; the unemployed to gain marketable skills; the
disabled to overcome stereotypes as passive recipients of care; and
the ageing to have healthier, more productive lives.

Build an infrastructure
for voluntary action. Governments can help to support the leadership,
effective management, training, evaluation and continuous improvement
of volunteer services. This infrastructure should support community-based
voluntary action, as well as national and international volunteerism.
As online volunteerism grows in importance, they can help to create
the electronic infrastructure that makes this possible.

Support research.
Governments can help to document and measure the impact of volunteerism.
Some countries are now beginning to measure volunteer contributions
in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), but it is also important to
document the diverse forms that volunteer action takes around the world.
UNV now has a toolkit that can help gauge the extent and impact of volunteerism
in communities. (www.unv.org/prerels/2001/150201.html)

Encourage volunteerism
without compromising the spirit of volunteerism. Governments can provide
incentives for volunteerism, including tax incentives. Working with
the private sector, the media, and education, they can promote the recognition
of volunteers, help to dispel misconceptions about volunteerism, and
encourage civil servants to take part in volunteer efforts. They can
provide an enabling environment. Governments must avoid the temptation
to control volunteering. In many cases, the most important thing governments
can do is to get out of the way, that is, to eliminate legislative,
policy, and organizational barriers so that more people can come forward
and actively participate in their communities.

UNV and the US-based
non-governmental organization, INDEPENDENT SECTOR, has released a guide
on how governments, researchers and volunteers can measure the economic
contribution of volunteering in their countries. "Measuring Volunteering:
A Practical Toolkit" will assist countries, particularly those
from the developing world, in producing their own empirical data relating
to volunteerism.

UNV is the volunteer
arm of the UN system. It extends hands-on assistance for peace and development
in nearly 150 countries. Created by the UN General Assembly in 1970
and administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),
UNV works through UNDP country offices to send volunteers and promote
the ideals of volunteerism around the world. UN Volunteers have extensive
experience in over 100 professional fields. UNV is the UN-designated
focal point for the International Year of Volunteers 2001.